US Sanctions Iranian Security Officials and Ministers of Communications and Interior for Suppressing Protests

The United States on Thursday, October 5, sanctioned a number of senior security officials, law enforcement personnel, and ministers of communications and interior of the Islamic Republic due to their involvement in suppressing Iran’s protests.

According to a statement by the US Department of the Treasury, Vahid Majid, head of the police’s information production and exchange space, Yadollah Javani, deputy political officer of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Hossein Nejat, deputy commander-in-chief of the IRGC at Tharallah headquarters, Hossein Rahimi, head of Tehran police, Hossein Sajedi-Nia, deputy operations officer of law enforcement, along with Isa Zarepour, minister of communications and technology, and Ahmad Vahidi, minister of interior of the Islamic Republic, have been added to the US sanctions list.

The US Department of the Treasury stated that it has sanctioned seven Iranian officials for cutting off internet access and suppressing peaceful protests following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in the custody of the morality police.

Brian Nelson, deputy US secretary of the treasury, stated in a statement that the United States condemns the cutting of internet by the Islamic Republic of Iran and the continued violent suppression of peaceful protests, and will not hesitate in targeting those who direct and support such actions.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also said on Thursday in a tweet that the United States will increase the accountability of all those who take direct or supportive measures to deny Iranians’ right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.

He further stated that today we have sanctioned seven senior officials of Iran’s security apparatus who were responsible for suppressing the protests.

The US Department of the Treasury had also on September 21 sanctioned the “morality police” known as “Guidance Patrol” and several Iranian officials, including Ahmad Mirzaei, head of the Tehran Guidance Patrol, and Mohammad Rostami, head of the morality police of the Islamic Republic’s law enforcement, in connection with the killing of Mahsa Amini and the bloody suppression of popular protests.

The assets of sanctioned individuals in the United States will be seized and they will be prevented from entering US territory, and financial transactions by US citizens with these individuals are also prohibited.

The Canadian government also announced on October 2 the imposition of new sanctions against institutions and military and law enforcement figures of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Mohammad Hossein Bagheri, chief of the general staff of the armed forces, Hossein Salami, commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and Ismail Qaani, commander of the Quds Force of the IRGC, were among senior military officials included in Canada’s new sanctions.

The European Parliament on Thursday condemned the death of Mahsa Amini in the custody of the Guidance Patrol and called for sanctions against those responsible for this incident.

The foreign ministers of France and Germany also stated in recent days that the European Union is reviewing sanctioning Iranian officials involved in suppressing recent protests in the form of “entry bans and freezing of their assets.”

Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian threatened the European Union on October 4 that if new sanctions are imposed against Tehran in response to the suppression of protesters in Iran, European countries should expect “effective and reciprocal action” by the Islamic Republic.

Source: Radio Farda